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Sutton police chief will retire

37-year career to end July 7

By Steven H. Foskett Jr. TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF



Enlarge photo I’m on my 11th year, so it’s one more than I promised.

John L. Hebert, RETIRING SUTTON POLICE CHIEF



SUTTON— Police Chief John L. Hebert told the Board of Selectmen last night he is stepping down after 11 years as the town’s top cop.

“When I took the oath as chief in 1995, I promised the board 10 good years,” Chief Hebert said in an interview last night before he made his public announcement. “I’m on my 11th year, so it’s one more than I promised.”

He said his last day will be July 7. He started a 37-year streak of full-time employment with the town in 1969 when he joined the Highway Department. He joined the Police Department as a patrolman in 1971, and was promoted to sergeant in 1989. Since 1995, he has occupied the window-front office at the police station.

“I tried to keep the community safe; to uphold the letter of the law, and to protect and to serve,” Chief Hebert said. “I think we’ve done that in Sutton.”

He said there wasn’t one specific reason he decided to call it a career, but that he’s ready to try something new after 37 years working for the town. He talked cryptically about what his plans are after July, but said he wants to make a career change.

“I’ve still got something left in me,” the 55-year-old chief said.

He also pointed to several retirements in recent years of colleagues in other towns, including retired Grafton Chief Russell Messier, retired Shrewsbury Chief Robert K. McGinley, and recently retired Northbridge Chief Thomas Melia.

“I’m one of the younger ones of that group, but they helped me along,” the chief said.

Sutton isn’t exactly an epicenter of criminal activity, but things do happen in town, and the chief last night pointed to two cases that stuck out in his mind.

One was a $77,000 cocaine bust several years ago he participated in with a sergeant, and the other was the June 29, 1999, Xtra-Mart shooting on Route 146. Five men were charged with participating in the killing of store clerk James P. McCormick. All five received prison terms.

“It was one of the biggest cases we’ve had,” he said. “Within nine days, all five people were charged. And they all eventually came to justice.”

The chief said he told employees in his department about his decision in a private meeting yesterday afternoon, and gave the board a slight heads-up during an executive session that started last night’s meeting. Still, selectmen and several residents at the meeting seemed surprised at Chief Hebert’s announcement.

Selectman Michael Chizy, who said he knew Chief Hebert’s father and the chief when he was a local high school student, said the chief brought a steady hand to management of the department.

“What’s nice about the Police Department is that you don’t hear about it,” Mr. Chizy said.

Selectman Michael Frustaci said Chief Hebert has served as a total professional.

Chief Hebert said he wanted to make the announcement last night to make sure the town had plenty of time to find a replacement, and that he hopes whoever they pick will be from within the department’s ranks.

“As for the future of the Police Department, I know that the Sutton Police Department has members within the ranks who would be more than capable and qualified to fulfill the position,” the chief told the board.

The chief received a standing ovation from the board and residents at the well-attended meeting. In response, the always even-keeled chief eschewed a grand exit and simply got up from the desk, turned around, put his policeman’s cap back on, and returned to the aisle seat of the second row of chairs in the selectmen’s meeting room.

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